1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to ribbon cable connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to a connector that retentively latches a ribbon cable to a hardware device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ribbon cables are flat, flexible cables containing a plurality of electrical wires that are aligned in a row. These cables are commonly used to establish a communication path between two computer devices, such as between a computer motherboard and a floppy disk drive. This is accomplished by using a ribbon cable connector, which is a connecting device that is attached to both ends of the cable. The ribbon cable connector removably connects onto a mounting port on each of the hardware devices and thereby electrically couples the electrical wires in the cable to the hardware devices. In a typical hardware device, the mounting port comprises a set of aligned teeth or pins that extend outward from the hardware device in a predetermined pattern.
A standard ribbon cable connector includes a plurality of female slots that are arranged in the same predetermined pattern as the pins or teeth on the hardware device. The pin slots are sized to slidingly receive the pins on the hardware device. A user connects the ribbon cable to the hardware device by inserting the pins into the corresponding pin slots in the ribbon cable connector. After the pins have been inserted, the ribbon cable connector remains connected to the hardware device via a friction fit between the pins and the female slots in the connector.
Unfortunately, there are certain drawbacks associated with current ribbon cable connectors, particularly regarding the maintenance of a secure connection between the pins of the hardware device and the pin slots in the ribbon cable connector. For example, the friction fit between the cable connector and the pins on the hardware device is often insufficient to retain the cable connector attached to the pins. As a result, over time, the ribbon cable often gradually becomes loosened from the hardware device, which may have an adverse effect on the electrical communication path between the two hardware devices connected by the ribbon cable. This is highly undesirable.
In an attempt to solve this problem, some computer assemblers have attached movable shrouds to the mounting port on the hardware device. After an installer inserts the pins into the pin slots on the cable connector, the installer snaps the shrouds over the cable connector. The shrouds thereby inhibit relative movement between the cable connector and the hardware device. Unfortunately, while shrouds provide a more secure fit between the cable connector and the pins of a hardware device, they are impractical in use as they require a user to re-fit the standard mounting port on the hardware device with the shrouds. This may be costly and time consuming.
Some installers have also used alligator clips to more securely retain the cable connector to the pins of the hardware device. However, the use of alligator clips has been shown to be tedious and unreliable. Additionally, alligator clips are not practical if a supply of such clips is not readily available.
There is, therefore, a need for a ribbon cable connector that is configured to be easily and securely retained to a mounting port on a hardware device. The ribbon cable connector should not require the hardware device to be re-fitted with external connecting mechanisms, such as shrouds or alligator clips, and should be capable of being used with existing mounting port designs.